The Exolum oil pipeline crosses the Stroudwater Canal near Occupation Bridge and was constructed during the Second World War as part of the UK Government Pipelines and Storage System (GPSS).
This pipeline connects Avonmouth, near Bristol, with the Stanlow oil refinery on Merseyside and also supplied fuel storage depots at Gloucester Docks, Upon-On-Severn, Worcester and Stourport (all now closed) amongst others.
In 2015 the GPSS was sold to CLH Pipeline System (CLH-PS) Ltd, a private company, and in February 2021 CLH-PS changed its name to Exolum Pipeline System Ltd.
As part of the Phase 1B restoration programme, the 10 inch (250mm) oil pipeline will be routed under the canal. This will be achieved using a horizontal boring technique where a pit is dug on each side of the canal. From one of these, a boring machine will create a route under the canal bed for the diverted pipe, without affecting the canal above.
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